Device For Protecting Boat Hulls Against Dock Abrasion

ABSTRACT

An improved boat hull protector comprises a rod member, a tether and a boat bumper. The rod member is UV resistant and non-abrading and disposable in the fishing rod holders of a boat fender. The rod member includes a countersunk hole through which the tether is looped. The tether is spliced together after looping through the rod hole, and is adjustable. The opposite end of the tether is connected to a boat bumper. To use the invention, the tether is adjusted to dispose the boat bumper between a vessel hull and dock, and the rod member bearing the tether is inserted into a boat rod holder. To remove the device, the rod member can simply be removed from the boat fender and stored as appropriate.

BACKGROUND

Recreational and other watercraft hulls comprise materials designed to be lightweight and buoyant. These materials typically have characteristics permitting them to be abraded or scratched when encountering hard surfaces. Boat docks are designed with materials to withstand impact from large vessels, and typically include wood, cement or metal. When boat hulls contact a dock, the hull can therefore be easily scratched or damaged.

boat bumpers in the art comprise loosely inflated, rubber-type bumpers designed to be disposed on the outside of a boat hull so that when the boat hull contacts a dock, the bumpers cushion impact and prevent contact between the boat hull and dock. However, existing boat bumpers are difficult to use because they are frequently of an improper length, particularly when boats encounter multiple docks with varying heights. These bumpers are also difficult to manage, since they are not easily attached and detached to the fenders of a boat.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved boat bumper that can be easily attached and detached from the fender of a boat. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved boat bumper that can be easily height adjusted for use with multiple docks. These and other objects will become clear through the appended summary, description and drawings.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a boat hull protector comprising a dowel, tether boat bumper. The dowel connects to one end of the tether and the boat bumper connects to the other end of the tether. The dowel has a counter-sunk hole drilled approximately one inch from the end. The tether is threaded through the hole and then spliced using glue, webbing, and thread. Lightweight webbing is also wrapped around the splice and stitched together.

The dowel can be made of various materials, including wood, plastic, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, high density polyethylene, metal/metal allow, aluminum, but UV treated nylon is preferable. The tether can also be made of various materials, including nylon (strand or braided), cotton, hemp, binders' twine, pot wrap, double braided nylon, flat whip, hollow braided poly pro, nylon twine, or polydacron, however double braided nylon is preferred. The tether is spliced using glues, adhesives, screws, or whipping and wrapped using various materials including webbing made of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, cotton, hemp, or polydacron, then sewn with standard thread and/or marine grade thread.

A user attaches the free end of the tether to a boat bumper at a length determined by the boat owner that best protects the outside of the boat against abrasion against a dock. The dowel is inserted into the boat rod holders on the fender of the boat; and the tether and bumper are placed on the outboard side of the boat, providing protection from rubbing against the dock. The dowel is substantially elongated with rounded ends to facilitate insertion into boat rod holders. The dowel comprises a counter sunk hole drilled through one extreme end. The countersunk hole facilitates insertion of the tether into the dowel and helps prevent the dowel from dislodging from the rod holders of a boat on which the invention is used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of a boat hull protector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a boat hull protector according to the present invention installed onto the fender of a boat.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dowel to be inserted into a rod hole on a boat fender

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a boat hull protector 10 further comprising a dowel 12, a tether 14 and a boat bumper 16. The dowel 12 is connected to one end of the tether 14, and the boat bumper 16 is connected to the other end of the tether 14. In one preferred embodiment, the dowel 12 has a counter sunk hole 18 drilled approximately one inch from the end. In another preferred embodiment, the tether 14 is threaded through the hole 18 and then spliced.

In another preferred embodiment, the tether 14 is spliced using glue, webbing, and thread. In order to splice the tether 14, the tether 14 is inserted through the hole 18 on the dowel 12, spliced and glued. Lightweight webbing is then wrapped around the splice, and sewn/stitched together.

The dowel 12 can be made of various materials, such as but not limited to wood, plastic, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, high density polyethylene, metal/metal allow, aluminum, but UV treated nylon is preferable. The tether 14 can also be made of various materials, such as but not limited to nylon (strand or braided), cotton, hemp, binders' twine, pot wrap, double braided nylon, flat whip, hollow braided poly pro, nylon twine, or polydacron, however double braided nylon is preferred.

The tether 14 is spliced by various means, such as but not limited to glues, adhesives, screws, or whipping. In one preferred embodiment, the splice is wrapped using various materials such as but not limited to webbing made of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, cotton, hemp, or polydacron, then sewn using various materials such as, but not limited to standard thread and/or marine grade thread.

Referring to FIG. 2, a user attaches the free end of the tether 14 to a boat bumper 16 at a length determined by the boat owner that best protects the outside of the boat against abrasion against a dock. The dowel 14 is then inserted into the boat rod holders 20 on the fender of the boat; the tether 14 and bumper 16 are placed on the outboard side of the boat, providing protection from rubbing against the dock.

Referring to FIG. 3, the dowel 14 of the present invention is shown in close-up view. The dowel 14 is substantially elongated with rounded ends to facilitate insertion into boat rod holders. The dowel comprises a counter sunk hole 22 drilled through one extreme end. The countersunk hole facilitates insertion of the tether into the dowel 14, and helps prevent the dowel 14 from dislodging from the rod holders of a boat on which the invention is used.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 USC section 112, paragraph 6, In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 USC section 112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly it is to be understood that the invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation. 

1. A device for protecting the side of a boat against abrasion from a dock comprising: a. A rod member comprising a substantially oblong dowel member, adapted to be inserted into a rod holder along the side of a boat; b. A bumper member adapted to cushion contact between the side of a boat and the side of a dock; c. An adjustable tether for securing the dowel member to the bumper member and retaining the dowel member and bumper member in a uniform distance, wherein when the dowel member is inserted into a rod holder at the side of a boat, the bumper member is disposed along the outside of the boat hull at the location where the hull makes contact with a dock.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the dowel member comprises UV protection.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the tether comprises rope.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the tether also comprises glue, webbing, and thread.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the dowel member comprises a counter-sunk hole for receiving the tether.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the dowel member comprises a counter-sunk hole disposed approximately one inch from an end of the dowel member.
 7. The device of claim 5, wherein the tether is woven after passing through the hole.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the woven tether comprises lightweight webbing, adhesive and stitching.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the dowel member comprises material chosen from the list of: wood plastic, nylon polyester, polyethylene, high density polyethylene, metal/metal allow, aluminum, and UV treated nylon.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises material chosen from the list of: stranded nylon, braided nylon, cotton, hemp, binders' twine, pot wrap, double braided nylon, flat whip, hollow braided poly pro, nylon twine, polydacron, and double braided nylon.
 11. The device of claim 8, wherein the adhesive comprises a material chosen from the list of: glue, industrial adhesive, screws, or whipping
 12. The device of claim 8, wherein the woven tether comprises webbing made of material chosen from the list of: nylon, polyester, polyethylene, cotton, hemp, and polydacron.
 13. The device of claim 8, wherein the stitching comprises material chosen from the list of: thread and marine-grade thread.
 14. A device for protecting the side of a boat against abrasion from a dock comprising: a. An elongated rod comprising a UV resistant material that will not scratch metal, fiberglass, or plating, further comprising a hole drilled in the member. b. A boat bumper adapted to cushion contact between the outside of a boat hull and a dock. c. An adjustable tether for securing the rod to the boat bumper, comprising a length of material that can be lengthened or shortened to raise or lower the boat bumper relative to the fender of the boat, wherein when the rod is disposed in the rod holders atop the boat fender, the bumper is disposed along the outside of the boat hull at the location where the hull makes contact with a dock.
 15. A method of protecting the outside of the hull of a vessel against direct contact by the side of a dock comprising the steps of a. providing a dowel adapted for receipt into the rod holders of a boat fender; b. providing a boat bumper adapted for cushioning contact between the outside of the boat hull and a dock; c. providing an adjustable tether connecting the dowel and boat bumper; d. attaching the the free end of the tether to a boat fender/bumper, at a predetermined length providing maximum protection to boat while at a dock e. inserting the dowel into the boat rod holder and placing the rope and bumper on the outboard side of the boat, providing protection from rubbing against the dock. 